Dallas Stars Drop Pride Night for First Time in at Least Five Years
The Dallas Stars will not hold a Pride Night during the upcoming NHL season, ending a run of at least five consecutive seasons in which the organization hosted a game dedicated to LGBTQ+ inclusion.
The change became apparent when the Stars released their promotional schedule for the 2026-27 season. Pride Night, which had traditionally appeared on the team’s calendar during February or March, was noticeably absent.
Instead, the Stars will host a new event called “Hockey Unites Us: Women in Sports Night” on March 23 when Dallas faces the Carolina Hurricanes.
Stars spokesperson Joe Calvillo said the new Hockey Unites event will allow the organization to highlight a different underrepresented community each season. The team did not provide additional details explaining why it decided against holding both a Women in Sports Night and a separate Pride Night.
The decision represents a significant departure from recent seasons. Dallas held its annual Pride Night in March 2026 against the New Jersey Devils, complete with special merchandise, a pregame event and fundraising efforts benefiting a local charity.
Similar celebrations had been held by the organization throughout the previous several seasons. The Stars hosted Pride Nights in 2025 and 2024, while their 2023 event included Pride-themed warmup jerseys that were auctioned to raise money for charitable organizations.
The NHL allows individual franchises considerable freedom in deciding which themed nights they want to include on their schedules. That means the Stars are not required by the league to hold a Pride Night.
Dallas is not abandoning themed events altogether. The organization’s upcoming promotional calendar includes nights recognizing Black history, first responders and other communities, along with the NHL’s Hockey Fights Cancer initiative and a Noche Mexicana celebration.
The Stars’ decision will nevertheless make them one of a relatively small number of NHL organizations without a dedicated Pride Night on their upcoming schedule.
During the previous season, the Utah Mammoth, Los Angeles Kings and Carolina Hurricanes were the three NHL teams that did not hold Pride Nights. The Kings are bringing their Pride Night back for the upcoming season.
Dallas’ move comes several years after the NHL changed its broader approach to Pride-related promotions. The league previously faced controversy when some players declined to participate in Pride-themed warmups because of religious or personal objections.
The NHL eventually stopped allowing teams to use special themed jerseys during warmups, reducing one of the most visible elements of several promotional nights. Individual franchises, however, remained free to continue hosting Pride events through other activities and promotions.
The Stars have not indicated that the absence of Pride Night represents a permanent policy change. Calvillo’s explanation suggests the new Hockey Unites format could rotate its focus from season to season, potentially allowing different communities to be highlighted in future years.
For the 2026-27 season, however, the decision is clear. After at least five consecutive years of putting Pride Night on the calendar, the Dallas Stars are moving in a different direction and dedicating their new Hockey Unites event to women in sports instead.